Combined concrete and wooden bench



Dec. 24', 1935-. N. B. @LLR zzsss COMBINED CONCRETE AND WOODEN BENCH Filed sept. 4,. 1934 Patented Dec. 24, 1935 UNITED STATES COMBINED OONCRETEAND WOODEN BENC Nicholas B. Boller, Los Angeles,'C`alif.

Application September 4, l934,Serial'No. 742,594

Claims.

My invention relates to benches or seats of the type used on lawns, in parks and the like and the principal objects of my invention are, to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of 3 the existing forms of lawn or park benches, to provide a bench having end frames formed of concrete or the like, with seat and back panels formed of wood or the like and further, to provide a bench of the character referred to that is relatively strong and rigid in structure, having a marked degree of stability and resistance to strains and stresses that tend to break or disconnect the parts that are associated to produce the bench.

Further objects of my invention are, to construct the seat back supporting uprights so that they have a strong and substantial bearing upon the rear portions of the concrete end frames, further, to provide simple and eicient means for 201* mounting the seat panel uppn the upper portions ofthe concrete' end frames and further, to provide a bench or seat that presents a neat and linished appearance.

With the foregoing and other objects in View my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangements of partsv that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed andy illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a bench'constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical cross section taken on'tl'eline 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section taken .V25-on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

. Fig.v 4 is a perspective view of the lower portion of one of the uprights that are secured to the rear portions of the concrete end frames and `which support the seat back.

40" Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective View of the upper rear portion of one of the concrete end frames and showing a cushioning strip of wood imbedded in the upper portion of the horizontal member of the end frame.

4541i Fig. l6 is .an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

In the construction of my improved bench, I employ a pair of end frames that are cast or formed of concrete or analagous cementitious materialwliich end frames are practically identical inconstruction but made in rights vand lefts and each end frame comprises a horizontally disposed lowerrail IIJ, a horizontally disposed upper rail I I, afront member I2 end a rear member I3.

"'3 Thee'nd portions of the lower rail I0 are eX- tended downward as designated by I4, in order to form feet that rest directly upon the ground or pavement.

Front and rear members I2 and I3, whichconnect and are integrally formed with the horizon- 5 talrmembers Iii and II diverge upwardly and the upper portions of the front faces of the front members I2 are provided with flat faces I5 that occupy vertical planes.

'Formed integral with the inner faces of the l0' rear frame members I3, adjacent to the rear edges thereof, are flanges I6, the front faces I'I of which constitute Ielongated bearing surfaces for the lower portions of the uprights that carry the 'seat back panel or panels. l5:

The lower portions of the flanges I6 are carried downward on the rear inner faces of the lower horizontal members I0 so as to increase the width or thickness ofthe feet I4 that are formed at the rear endsof said lower members I0. creasedthickness is designated by the numeral I8, Fig. 2. v

The 'upright members I9 that support the' seat back panels, are preferably formed of wood and theirlower portions are cut away to form depend- 25" ing extensions 2i), which are smaller in cross section than the main bodies of the uprights and these" extensions lare positioned immediately against the inner faces ofthe upright members I3 ofthe end frames with the rear faces 2| of said 30 extensionsbearingl against the front faces ofy the flanges IE5.

The cutting away of the lower portions of the uprights I9 to form the extensions 2I, providev substantially L-shaped shoulders 22 that bear 35 directly upon the upper surfaces of the rear members It and the Iianges I6 that are formed integral therewith.

The uprights IS are rigidlt7 secured to the rear members I 3 of the end frames by horizontally dis- 40".'

posed bolts 23 that pass through the rear members I3 and through the depending extensions 2I of the uprights i9 (See Fig. 3).

resists breakage or splitting of the uprights in the 55 This in- 20' event that the bench is tipped over rearwardly or is dropped one relatively hard surface.

Suitably secured to the front faces of the upper portions of the uprights I9, preferably by means of nails, screws or bolts, are one or more seat back panels such as 24. These seat back panels are preferably formed of wood.

AConnecting the intermediate portions of the lower horizontal members I0, is a rail 25, preferably of Wood, which functions as 'a connecting brace between the lower portions of the con- Y crete end frames and thecends of this rail are suitably connected to members I0, preferably by means of bolts 26 that extend downwardly through said rails I0.

Y Imbedded in the upper portions of the horizontally disposed top rails II of the end frames, are cushioning strips 27, preferably of wood, which serve as supports for the seat panel 28.

I prefer to arrange these cushioning Vstrips so that their upper surfaces occupy a plane a fraction of an inch above the upper surfacesof the rails II', in order that when the seat panel is properly applied, its under-surface will not rest directly upon the concrete, of which the end frames are formed. Y Y Y The seat panel I8 is rigidly connected to the cushioning strips 21 and to the top rails II by means of vertically disposed bolts 28 that extend downwardly through the seat panel, the cushioning strips and rails I I (see Fig. 6).

A narrow panel 29, preferably of wood, providesan apron for thev front edge of the seat, the end portions of which apron bear directly against the flat upper front faces I of members I2 Vand the upper portion of this apron is rigidly secured to the front edge of seat panel I8, preferably by means of nails or screws.

In some instances, it may be found desirable to arrange the concrete end frames so that the flanges I5 are outwardly pressed and thus when the 'parts of the bench are properly assembled the uprights I9 are positioned on the outer faces of the rear members I3 of the end framesin- `stead of on Ythe inuner faces thereof, as herein shown and described. Y

Where the lowerportions of the uprights are applied to the inner faces of the concrete end frames against the front faces I1 of the anges, the entire lower portions ofthe uprights are protected from being hit by passing objects and thus the period of usefulness or service of the bench is materially increased. Y

The shoulders 22 on the uprights bearing directly on the upper surfaces of rear members I3 and anges I6 removes to a considerable extent the transmission of strains delivered to the bolts 23 as a result of downward pressure on the upper portions of the uprights and as a result splitting and consequent dislodgment of the uprights from the concrete end framesris prevented. This resistance' to downward movement that might be imparted to the uprights I9 is enhanced by the bearing of the lower ends of the extensions 2I upon the upper portions of the increased thickness I8 atthe rear ends of lower members I0.

' 'I'he increasing of the thickness of the feet at the rear lower corners of the end frames provides larger bearing surfaces for the rear portions of the end frames of the bench where the same is placed on relatively soft ground and thus counteracting any tendency of the rear portion of the bench to sink intothe ground and tipl backwardly.

Inasmuch as the lower portions of the uprights u. bear against the inner faces of the rear members I3 of the concrete end frames and the bolts 23k n that connect said uprights to the end frames, are

horizontally disposed, any horizontal strains applied to either end of the bench and particularly to the back panels 24, will be transferred directly 5 to the bolts which occupy planes parallel with the impressed strains and as a result any tendency of the uprights to split at the points where they are attached is minimized.

The advantage in producing the concrete end lo frames in rights and lefts is that when strains are applied to the back panels of the bench from either end horizontally, such strains will not be transferred to both uprights since said uprights have their outer faces bearing against the inner 1v surfaces of the end frames and as a results the strains are first absorbed by the rear leg of the end frame adjacent the point or end from which the strains are applied. Y

The imbedding of the cushioning strips 21 in 20 the upper portions of the upper rails II, tends to prevent splitting of said cushion strips and consequently minimizing the development of weakness between the seat panels and they parts that are connected. Y 25 Thus it will be seen that I have provided a combined concrete and wooden bench that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, having great strength and durability and which bench is very effective in performing the functions for which itis intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved combined concrete and wooden bench may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope oi.' which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a'bench, 'the combination with a pair of 0y concrete end frames, each having a frontleg and a back leg and an inwardly presented ange formed on the inner face of each back leg, which ange is substantially half the width of the back leg so as to provide a forwardly presented shouliY y der, of a pair of uprights constituting upward extensions of said back legs, the lower portion of leach upright being cut away to provide a .de-

pending extension that fits against the inner face of each back leg and against the front face of the flange thereon, there being a shoulder formed between the extension and the upper portion of the upright, which shoulder rests on 'top ofthe Y back leg to which the upright is applied, and` fastening means passing transversely through the extension andY through thej back leg infront of the flange thereon.

2. In a bench, th-e combination with a, pair of concrete end frames, each having a front leg and a back leg and an inwardly presented ange formed on the inner face of each back leg, which flange is substantially half the width of the back leg so as to provide a forwardly presented shoulder, of a pair of uprights constituting upward extensions of said back legs, thelower portion of each upright being cut away to provide a depending extension that fits against the inner face of each back leg and against the front face of the fiange thereon, there being a shoulder formed 70 between the extension and the upper portion of the upright, which shoulder rests on top of the back leg to which the upright is applied, fastening means passing transversely through the extension and through the back legin front of the 15 flange thereon and a seat back panel secured to the uprights above said end frames.

3. In a bench, the combination with a pair of concrete end frames, each having a front leg and a back leg and an inwardly presented flange formed. on the inner face of each back leg, which flange is substantially half the width of the back leg so as to provide a forwardly presented shoulder, of a pair of uprights constituting upward extensions of said back legs, the lower portion of each upright being cut away to provide a depending extension that fits against the inner face of each back leg and against the front face of the flange thereon, there being a shoulder formed between the extension and the upper portion of the upright, which shoulder rests on top of the back leg to which the upright is applied, fastening means passing transversely through the extension and through the back leg in front of the flange thereon, a seat back panel secured to the uprights above said end frames and a seat panel secured to the upper portions of said end frames.

4. In a bench, the combination with a pair of concrete end. frames, each having a front leg and a back leg and an inwardly presented ilange formed on the inner face of each back leg, which flange is substantially half the width of the back leg so as to provide a forwardly presented shoulder, of a pair of uprights constituting upward extensions of said back legs, the lower portion of each upright being cut away to provide a depending extension that ts against the inner face of each back leg and against the iront face of the flange thereon, there being a shoulder formed between the extension and the upper portion of the upright, which shoulder rests on top of the back leg to which the upright is applied, fastening means passing transversely through the extension and through the back leg in front of the flange thereon, a seat back panel secured to the 5 uprights above said end frames, a seat panel secured to the upper portions of said end frames and an `apron secured to the front edge of said seat panel and disposed.- in front of the upper portions of the front legs of the end frame. 10 5. In a bench, the combination with a pair of concrete end frames, each having a front leg and a back leg and `an inwar-dly presented flange formed on the inner face of each back leg, which flange is substantially half the width of the back l5 leg so as to provide a forwardly presented shoulder, of a pair of uprights constituting upward extensions of said back legs, the lower portion` of each upright being cut away to provide a 4depending extension that ts against the inner face 20 of each back leg and against the front face of the flange thereon, there being a shoulder formed between the extension and the upper portion of the upright, which shoulder rests on top of the back leg to which the upright is applied, fasten- 25 ing means passing transversely through the extension and through the back leg in front of the llange thereon, a seat back panel secured to the uprights above said end frames, a seat panel secured to the upper portions of said end frames, 30 an apron secured to the front edge of said seat panel and .disposed in front of the upper portions of the front legs of the end frame and a rail connecting the lower portions of said end frames.

NICHOLAS B. BOLLER. 35 

